Modernizing a LabVIEW-Based Spectroscopy Analysis Tool with a Custom Web Application

Summary

A manufacturer of industrial measurement and analytical instruments partnered with DMC to modernize the software behind one of its critical devices. The existing application was built in LabVIEW 9 32-bit and needed to be upgraded to a current platform while also supporting new hardware, modern communications, and a simpler workflow for technicians.

DMC upgraded the application to LabVIEW 2025 64-bit, migrated communications from OPC DA to OPC UA, developed drivers for a new spectrometer and lamp, and built a Python and React web application that guides users through experiments.

The result is a more maintainable system that gives the client greater control over its product while making the device easier for technicians to operate on the factory floor.

Customer Benefits

Solution

DMC approached the project as a comprehensive modernization of the client’s analytical system. Rather than simply upgrading the existing LabVIEW application, DMC addressed the underlying software, device communications, hardware integrations, and operator experience. Together, these improvements created a more maintainable system while making the device easier for technicians to use.

Modernizing the LabVIEW Application

At the core of the client’s device was a proprietary control application developed in LabVIEW 9 32-bit. Although the software was critical to the operation of the device, its age made long-term maintenance and development increasingly challenging.

DMC upgraded the application to LabVIEW 2025 64-bit, bringing the system onto a current development environment while preserving the functionality the client and their customers depended on.

By modernizing the existing application rather than replacing it with a competitor’s software, the client was able to retain control over an important part of its product. The upgrade also established a stronger foundation for future maintenance, features, and hardware changes.

Upgrading Communications from OPC DA to OPC UA

Alongside the LabVIEW upgrade, DMC modernized the system’s OPC communications.

The existing application used OPC DA, a legacy communications protocol with limited ongoing support. To give the client a more modern and secure communications functionality, DMC updated the application to support OPC UA. This allows users to connect the device to other systems using a more modern OPC architecture.

Modernizing the communication layer helps extend the useful life of the device while making it easier to integrate with current systems and technologies.

Integrating New Instrumentation

Our client also needed to incorporate a new spectrometer and lamp into its analytical device.

DMC developed custom drivers for both components and integrated them with the upgraded LabVIEW application. This allowed the new instrumentation to operate as part of the client’s existing system instead of requiring a separate software environment.

Combining the hardware integration with the LabVIEW modernization also meant the client could evolve its physical product while retaining the control software and user experience its customers already knew.

Designing a Python and React Web Application

DMC developed a custom web application to make the device easier to operate without exposing technicians to the complexity of the underlying LabVIEW control application.

A Python backend manages communication between LabVIEW and the web interface while coordinating the sequence of operations required for an experiment. A TypeScript React frontend provides a straightforward interface where technicians can enter required information, follow the experimental workflow, review results, and access debugging information when necessary.

The web application is hosted directly on the device’s embedded PC. DMC also configured the PC to launch the application automatically when the device starts, integrating the new interface into the normal operating experience.

This architecture keeps sophisticated instrument control in LabVIEW while giving technicians a purpose-built interface for completing their work.

Technologies

Results

DMC’s solution modernized both the technology behind the client’s analytical device and the experience of operating it. The upgraded LabVIEW application provides a more maintainable foundation for future development, while the transition to OPC UA and custom hardware drivers allows the system to support modern communications and new instrumentation.

The custom web application also makes the device easier to operate. Technicians can now run experiments through a guided interface without needing to interact directly with the underlying LabVIEW control application. By modernizing the existing system rather than replacing it, the client retains control over the software at the heart of their product while preserving the experience its customers already know.

Together, these improvements give the client a flexible foundation for continuing to maintain and evolve their analytical device as technology and customer needs change.